Rotary display rack for sunglasses or the like



May 17, 1960 I 4.5mm 2,936,897

ROTARY DISPLAY RACK FOR SUNGLASSES OR THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 13. 1957 IN VEN TOR. 1/964 81 067/ May 17, 1960 J. BLOCH 2,936,897

ROTARY DISPLAY RACK FOR SUNGLASSES OR THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 13, 1957 IN V EN TOR. Jmw a; a

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May 17, 1960 J, B 0:: 2,936,897

ROTARY DISPLAY RACK FOR SUNGLASSES OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 13, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 /8 E I I ////////////////////Wm INVENTOR. .74! 8106/9 BY 2' EV United States Patent w Patented May 17, 1960' ROTARY DISPLAY RACK FOR SUNGLASSES .1 OR THE L Jack Bloch,

signments, to Foster Grant (30., Inc., Leominster, Mass., a corporation of Delaware u This invention relates to a rotary display rack adapted particularly forruse, in promoting the sale of sun-glasses or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of compact design that will occupy only area of the surface upon which it is placed but that will afford ample space for storage and display of a large number of sunglasses. v v

Another object is to'provide' a display rack of simple and inexpensiveconstruction, the parts of'which may be easily and quickly-assembled without use of .;rive ts or other extraneous fastening means.

A further object is to provide a plurality of like rack members, the several rack members extending radially and being formed with a number of separate compartments or sections each adapted to contain a sunglass with the front of its frame facing outward, the compartments being separated by a common partition wall and being arranged in tiers;

A still further object is to provide a rotary display rack designed so that the sunglasses may be easily inserted into its several compartments, and readily withdrawn or replaced, as desired. 1

Other advantages of the invention will appear from the following description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a view in elevation of the rotary display rack, the sunglasses or like articles to be displayed being indicated by dot-and-da'sh lines in several of the upper compartments;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the rack;

Fig; 3 is an enlarged transverse fragmentary view, partly in section, of a pair of the uppermost compartments of the rack assembly, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar fragmentary view taltcn on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the top spider and upper end of the rack assembly taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and,

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the bottom spider and lower end of the rack assembly taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

The device generally described comprises a plurality of rack members 10, all of like form and construction,

; a pair of spiders 11, 12, and a central post or spindle 13 on which the rack assembly is mounted and about which it may be rotated fully or partially in either direction, as desired, by a prospective customer to view the sunglasses and to extract one or more for inspection or purchase thereof.

The rack members are preferably made of plastic material, each being molded as a one-piece unit comprising a vertical rear wall 14, top and bottom horizontal walls 15, 16, a plurality of shelves .17 parallel to the top and bottom walls upon which a plurality of sunglasses may be severally laid, and a vertical partition wall 18 common to all of the shelves and that divides each shelf into two sections, preferably of equal width, as seen in Figs. 1

Leominster, Mm, assignor, by mesne aaa' relatively small device comprising a and 2.

2 I The shelves and partition wall form the rack member intoa plurality of compartments or separate sections 19 each designed to contain a sunglass, as shown in Fig.1; The compartments are disposed at opposite sides of the partition wall 18 and are arranged intiers.

The spiders 11 and 12, for the sake of economical production, are counterparts and each has a plurality of radial arms 20. The spiders .may be molded of plastic material of the same or like character to that used in making therack members.

Each rack member is formed with an integral key tab 21- both at its top and bottom, and both spiders are providedwith corresponding key slots 22 into which the key tabs fit to form a rack assembly in which the several rack members 10are held between and keyed to the top and bottom'spider's 11 and 12. The rack members are secured to the spiders without the use of rivets or other the lower end of the spindle isfixed a collar or washer -maintaining'the sunglasses in upright position in their 23 on which the rack assembly rests freely, and at the upper end of the spindle is a cap or lock-nut 24 that holds the rackfassembly on the spindle. The spindle and its collar may be made of metal or other suitable substance.

The outer edge of the partition wall is preferably formed with concave portions 25 between each successive pair of shelves 17, as seen in Fig. 1. Shaping the ends-of the partition walls in this manner any of the sunglasses from the racks.

A panel or cover member 26 is applied to each rack over the normally open side faces of the compartments of each rack member. The cover panel holds the sunglasses from falling out of the compartments. As the frames of modern sunglasses usually have ornamented ends, it is advisable that the panels cover only the middle or nose portion of the frame, leaving its ends uncovered and unobstructed. The cover panels may be molded of transparent plastic or other suitable material. Each panel has a plurality of flanges 27, 28 extending inwardly perpendicular to its face. The top and bottom flanges 27 engage against the inner surface of the top and bottom walls, respectively, of the racks while the intermediate flanges 28 engage the upper surface of alternate shelves 17 to hold the panels in place, as shown in Fig. 1. While the panels preferably cover the middle portion of each compartment 19, they may be made of a width to cover the face entirely or any part thereof.

The top spider may be formed with a plurality of tabs 29, preferably three, that extend upward and to which a triangular framework or header 30 may be stapled or secured, the framework being indicated generally by dash-lines in Fig. 2. In such case, the framework serves as a support upon which ancillary displays, printed matter, or other articles may rest or be mounted.

The partition wall may be formed with ribs 31 between each pair of shelves, as in Fig. 1. When so formed the ribs will tend to bear on the folded temples to assist in compartments. 7

The spindle 13 is suitably supported in upright posi tion by the legs 32 or other means. To avoid slipping on or scratching of thesurface upon which the display rack is placed the ends of the legs may be provided with spherical rubber tips 33, or tipped with other soft substance.

The rack members 10 may be molded in such form that they may be reversed end for end. As heretofore stated the two spiders may be counterparts. These structural features greatly expedite forming the rack assembly as the parts may be assembled without regard to which end of each rack member is turned up, or which of the facilitates withdrawal of.

two spiders 'is used as the top or bottom one of the assembly. In molding the spiders so that they may be so used interchangeably tabs such as the tabs 29 may be formed on each one. However, when the parts are as sembled only the tabs of the :top spider will serve a; purpose, the corresponding tabs of the bottom spider being 1 like, comprising, in combination, .a plurality of radially extending rack members, each rack member including a plurality of spaced shelves and a partition wall common to all of said shelves dividing each shelf into two sec? tions, each section being adapted to hold a folded sun; glass thereon for display, panel means secured to the sides of said shelf-sections for preventing the displayed sunglasses from falling off the :shelves, a pair of spiders having radial arm means for holding said rack members therebetween, and a central support, said rack means being rotatably mounted on said central support.

2. The rotary display stand of claim 1 including top and bottom ends on each rack member, a key tabat-each of said top and bottom ends, said .arm means onsaid spiders having provided therein key slot means ifgQl' re:

ceiving said hey tabs, whereby there is formed each rack assembly.

3. The :rotary display stand of claim 1 wherein the outer edge of said partition wall is concave between each successive pair of shelves.

assess? v 4 11 The-rotary display's'tand of claim 5 wherein said panel is transparent.

5. A rotary display stand for display of folded sunglasses or the like, comprising a plurality of radially extending rack members each including a tier of shelves and a partition dividing each shelf widthwise into two sections, each section being adapted to hold a folded sunglass thereon for display, a panel secured to the sides of the-shelflsections toprevnt the displayed folded glasses from falling off the shelves, top 'and bottom members between which the rack members are held and to which they are. Secured so that the tier of shelves of each rack member will extend radially, said .rack members together with the top and bottom members constituting a rack assembly unit, and a central support upon which the rack assembly unit is mounted to revolve thereabout.

6. A rotary display rack as in claim 5 in which the rack members are all alike in construction, each being molded in one piece of plastic material, and being reversible (end for end. a

7. A' rotary display rack as in claim 2 in which the top and bottom spiders are alike .in construction, each beingmolded in one piece of plastic material, and being interchan eable vone for the other in forming the .rack.

assembly :unit.

Reierences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED SIATES PATENTS 2,898,941 Foster Oct. 8, 19 57 

